Agenda item

(1)     Kent County Council (KCC) and Thanet District Council (TDC) had been working together to improve the local economic condition by developing employment opportunities for Thanet’s residents.  The growth of Westwood Town Centre with the Westwood Cross Retail Development and Canterbury Christ Church University Campus had helped the local economy and created a significant number of jobs for local people.

(2)     The developments, however, had led to severe congestion at peak times during weekdays and Saturdays at the Westwood Roundabout as the intersection point of roads between Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate and at the heart of Westwood Town Centre.  As a result, traffic was experiencing severe delays on Westwood Roundabout and the approaching roads,and the local community and businesses had raised considerable concerns about the impact of the severe congestion on their quality of life and business

(3)     KCC and TDC had developed a congestion relief strategy for Westwood and Thanet area and the proposed scheme for the improvement of Poorhole Lane was an important element of Phase 1 of that strategy.  The strategy plan and the scheme for the improvement of Poorhole Lane and associated junctions, shown as an outline design together with land acquisition requirements, on Drg No. A3/KHS/PL/BID/106 Rev0 were attached to the report.

(4)     Following a successful bid to the Department for Transport (DfT) for Local Pinch Point funding, the Transport Secretary had awarded £1.562m towards the overall cost of the scheme.  S106 contributions had been secured for the remainder of the estimated scheme cost of £2.242m.  KCC must proceed rapidly to conclude negotiations with landowners to secure the necessary land and progress the scheme design.  A condition of DfT funding was that the scheme must be completed by 31 March 2015.

(5)     Narrow strips of frontage land needed to be acquired. Discussions with landowners had indicated an in principle willingness to sell the land to KCC by voluntary negotiation.  The very welcome support for the scheme needed to be confirmed by the completion of negotiations on purchase price and the formal transfer of the land to KCC.

(6)     Margate Road and Westwood Road were likely to be key utility corridors and identifying the impacts of the proposed roundabout junctions and any required diversions or protection measures would be important aspects of scheme cost and programme.  Scheme cost, construction procurement and construction period were key factors in affordability and target end date delivery and those aspects would be considered in detail in the coming months as the detailed design was progressed by Amey – the new engineering and transportation term consultant. 

(7)     The approval of Pinch Point funding was a welcome acknowledgement of the efforts being made by KCC and TDC to implement the traffic relief strategy for Westwood.  The funding deadline was challenging and it was therefore important that KCC made urgent progress on securing the land and developing the detailed design.

(8)      RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Transport & Environment be recommended to:-

(a)       approve the scheme for the improvement of Poorhole Lane and associated junctions shown as an outline design together with land acquisition requirements on Drg No. A3/KHS/PL/BID/106 Rev0 for land charge disclosures and development control;

(b)     give approval to progress the scheme for the improvement of Poorhole Lane and associated junctions shown as an outline design on Drg No. A3/KHS/PL/BID/106 Rev0 including any ancillary works such as drainage and environmental mitigation;

(c)     give approval for Legal Services to complete the acquisition of the land required to deliver the scheme for the improvement of Poorhole Lane and associated junctions shown indicatively on Drg No. A3/KHS/PL/BID/106 Rev0 including, but not limited to, any ancillary works such as drainage and environmental mitigation on terms to be agreed by the Director of Property and Infrastructure Support, and

(d)     give authority for the S151 Officer to formally accept the DfT Pinch Point funding other when received and subject to being satisfied with the terms and conditions.